Sydney FC announced the signing of Sasa Ognenovski, the Central Coast unveiled new signing Kim Seung-yong and Brisbane Roar completed the deal for Steven Lustica to join the club.

Ognenovski returns to the A-League after a stint in Asia, joining Sydney FC from Umm Salal, where he had only played eight matches.

Ognenovski won the Asian player of the Year in 2010, and returns to Australia amid urging from Socceroos coach that playing in Gulf leagues would not be adequate for World Cup preparation.

It will be Ognenovski’s first stint back in Australia since his time with Adelaide United for the 2008-09 season and he will be eligible to play this weekend.

Kim Seung-yong joins the Mariners from K-League club Ulsan Hyundai, where he’d been a star on the wing for the strong Korean club.

Kim has joined the Mariners for 18 months so will be playing in the Champions League where his experience will be vital.

Kim has described his motivation as being a desire to move to a new destination, to push himself to a new challenge, adding an Asian player will also allow the Mariners an additional foreign space for Asian Champions League matches.

Mariners manager Phil Moss mentioned after the signing of Kim that the Mariners were specifically targeting an Asian player to bring some diversity to the playing style, and with Kim’s Asian Champions League experience the Mariners have gained a significant player.

Lustica joins Roar from Adelaide United, where he was unhappy, wanting to be released from his contract but it seemed that the Reds would not allow the request.

The midfielder had previously been with Brisbane on a loan deal in 2013 from Hadjuk Split in Croatia before leaving the Croatians and joining Adelaide.

For Lustica the move presents an opportunity to link up with former coach Mike Mulvey who had coached him at Gold Coast United and was the man responsible for bringing him to Brisbane, making Brisbane a special club to the youngster.

With Lustica getting little time in Adelaide and desperately wanting away from the club they eventually relented and granted his request, releasing the midfielder and allowing him to sign for Roar.

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Chris Hockman is a passionate soccer fan, originally from Australia, Chris moved to the USA in early 2010. In Australia he worked for A-League club, Central Coast Mariners, one cup, one premiership, two grandfinals & an Asian Champions League campaign were particular highlights, along with working various Football Federation Australia events. Chris can be reached at chris@sanantoniosoccernews.com.